Many sensor systems currently exist for causing toilets or urinals to flush when a user moves away from them. In addition, sensor systems currently exist to cause faucets to turn on when a user's hands move towards them. However, the biggest problem with these sensors is that they use infrared sensing.
Infrared sensing has many drawbacks. For example, infrared sensing is affected by ambient light levels, the color or surface texture of the object that reflects the light, and even the room temperature. In fact, a user's shadow cast inadvertently over the sensor can cause it to function at the wrong time, or not function at all.
Any of these above factors can affect the timing of the actuator triggering, and whether or not the actuator even triggers. As any person who has used public bathrooms can attest, the automatic flushing of the toilet or the automatic turning on of the faucet at the counter can be unpredictable. All too often, the toilet flushes too quickly or not at all, and the user is later waving their soapy hands under the faucet in an attempt to turn it on.
What is instead desired is an activation sensor system that is reliable and is not affected by changes in ambient light, reflecting surface colors or textures or inadvertent shadows being cast over the sensor. It is also desirable that such system be cost effective such that it can be incorporated into residential toilet designs when a “touchless” flushing would be desired. As will be explained, the present invention provides such a solution.